BOTAFUN: FUNDAMENTALS OF BOTANY

LECTURE 9: Plant Body

Dr. Zeba F. Alam| 1ST TERM | A.Y. 2022-2023

OUTLINE PLANT TISSUES

I. Basic Plant Morphology III. Complex Tissues
II. Plant Tissues A. Xylem ● main tissues of plants may be grouped into three
A. Meristematic Tissues B. Phloem
systems:
B. Permanent Tissues IV. Epidermis
A. Meristems
V. Organizations in Plants

BASIC PLANT MORPHOLOGY

● Plants are significant because they produce oxygen.

Without them, the aerobic life cannot be sustained
● Plants provide humans with a number of valuable
resources
● There are many variations of plants, but despite
the big differences between them, all have evolved
from a common mechanism of development and
similar internal body plant.
Figure 2. Plant Tissue Systems

DERMAL TISSUE SYSTEM

● consists of epidermis and periderm

● covers and protects the plant surface

VASCULAR TISSUE SYSTEM

● transport materials
● contains two types of conducting tissues:
○ xylem - distributes water and solutes
○ phloem - distributes sugar
● “vessels” throughout the plant

GROUND TISSUE SYSTEM

● most extensive and consist of the body of the plant

● mesophyll (leaves); pith and cortex (young green
stem)
● plant processors which involves photosynthesis;
Figure 1. The Plant Body: External and Internal Structure storage, and support

● All vascular plants have the 2 systems: aboveground MERISTEMATIC TISSUES

part and belowground part
○ Aboveground - shoot system: buds, leaves, ● Another term: Meristems
stem, fruits, etc ● tissues remain forever young
○ Belowground - root system: roots ● divide actively throughout the life of a plant
■ roots: primary and secondary root ● plants show continuous growth because of
● 6 organs: meristematic tissues
○ Root - Root System ● Initial Cell. When a meristematic cell divides into the
○ Stem new cell that remains in the meristem.
○ Leaf ● Derivative Cell. As new cells are added, the derivative
○ Flower cells are pushed further away from the zone of active
○ Fruit division.
○ Seed ● generally small and cuboidal with large nuclei, small
vacuoles and thin walls
○ 4 kinds:

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■ Apical Meristem COLLENCHYMA
● Shoot Apical Meristem
● Root Apical Meristem
○ Growth is taking ● often group in strands which help them to support the
place above the young parts of the shoot
ground (shoot), the ● generally elongated cells that have thicker primary
support needs to walls that protects parenchyma cells
grow to ● although they are uneven thickened walls
correspond to that ● young stems and petioles have strands of
also. collenchyma just below their epidermis
■ Lateral Meristem ● provide flexible support without restraining growth
● Vascular Cambium ● at maturity these cells are living and flexible
● Cork Cambium elongating with the stems and leaves
● Intercalary Meristem

SCLERENCHYMA
PERMANENT TISSUES

● can be classified into two types:

● evenly thickened walls
○ simple tissues ● dead at maturity
○ complex tissues ● provides strength, support and protection in the plant
body
● specialized cells that give support and strengthen the
SIMPLE TISSUES
plant body:
● consists of one cell type; made up of only one type of
cell
● made up of cells that are the workhorse cells of the
plant body
● they are the workhorse cells because:
○ they do photosynthesis
○ absorb the solutes and release toxins
outside of the plant using the vascular
system
○ hold up the weight of the plant
○ store things
● classified into three types:

PARENCHYMA

● mature parenchyma cells have primary walls that are
relatively thin and flexible
● most of them lack secondary walls
● when mature: parenchyma cells have a large central
vacuole
● fleshy tissues of many fruits
● possible to grow an entire plant into a single
parenchyma cell
● cortex, pith, and mesophyll parts of the leaf:
○ cortex. region between the plants epidermal
and vascular tissue in most stems and roots
○ pith. composed of storage parenchyma
cells; lies at the center of the many stems
○ mesophyll. bulk or major area of leave; site
of photosynthesis
● performs most of the metabolic functions of the plant:
○ photosynthesis (chloroplasts in the leaf)
○ storage (colorless plastids that store starch)
○ storge (glands, trichomes)
○ retain the ability to divide and differentiate
(mitosis):
■ wound-healing
■ cloning
○ protection (epidermis)
Figure 3. Sclereid vs. Fibre
○ sclereids. more heavier and rounder;
irregular in shape; thick and lignified
secondary walls; impart hardness into the
nut shells
○ fibre. usually grouped in strands; long and
slender and tapered; used commercially for
making rope and weaving
COMPLEX TISSUES
XYLEM
● part of the vascular system
● transports water and minerals that are absorbed by
the roots
● water-conducting tissue
● consists of parenchyma, tracheids, fibers, vessels,
and ray cells
PHLOEM

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 BOTAFUN: Plant Body
● transports food (sugars) that are produced by the leaf
(photosynthesis)
● food-conducting tissue
● consists of sieve-tube members (no nucleus @
maturity; cytoplasm present); companion cells; fibers;
parenchyma; and ray cells
PERIDERM
● armor that protects the plants from biotic and abiotic
stresses
● formed during the radial-thickening of plant organs
(stems and roots)
● replaces the function of the primary protecting
tissues (epidermis and endodermis)
SECRETORY STRUCTURES
● responsible for the secretion of gums, raisins, volatile
oils, nectar, latex produced and stored in channels
inside the plant body
● either classified into:
○ laticiferous tissues
○ glandular tissues
COMPLEX TISSUES
XYLEM
● originates from the greek word, “xylon” which means
“wood”
● Carl Nägeli coined the word “xylem”
● type of vascular tissue and its main function is to
transport water from roots to stem and leaves
● also provide mechanical support and strength to the
plants
● when it comes to origin there are two types:
o primary xylem. originates from procambium
▪ in the leaves and young stems, xylem is
found in vascular bundles
▪ while in the young roots it is found in the
vascular cylinder
▪ usually, leaves only have primary xylem
o secondary xylem. originates from vascular
cambium
▪ xylem that forms in later development of
stems and roots
● for different kinds of elements:
Figure 4.1 Xylem Elements
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o tracheids. big, tube-like cells, with a tapering
end; present at the lower end of angiosperms
and gymnosperms; don’t have protoplasm; thick
lignified wall; water and mineral transport
o vessels. present in angiosperms; long cylindrical
structures with a tube like appearance; walls are
lignified and has a large central cavity; dead btw;
don’t have protoplasm
o vessel elements (vessel members).
interconnected through perforations in the
common walls; involved in the conduction of
water and minerals; gives mechanical strength
into the plants
o xylem fibers. dead cells that have lignified walls
and central lumen; involve with water
transportation and mechanical support
▪ xylem parenchyma. the only living cell
of xylem and store starch and fat; assist
with the short-distance transportation of
water
COMPARISON OF TRACHEIDS AND VESSEL MEMBERS
TRACHEIDS
● Tracheids are long, thin cells with a tapered end.
● Found in the xylem of vascular plants.
● Tracheids are present in all vascular plants.
● Contain a relatively narrow lumen compared to vessel
members.
● Water moves laterally to cells through the pits.
● These are imperforated cells.
● Laterally connected.
● Secondary wall is hardened with lignin.
● Inefficient in water conduction.
VESSEL MEMBERS
● Vessel members are wider, shorter, thinner walled cells that
are less tapered compared to tracheids.
● Found only in the xylem of flowering plants
● Only present in angiosperms.
● Contain a wider lumen compared to tracheids.
● These are perforated cells.
● Vessel members are aligned end to end, creating long
micropipes.
● They are very efficient in water conduction.
SIMILARITIES OF TRACHEIDS AND VESSEL MEMBERS
● They are components of the xylem.
● Both are dead at maturity.
● Both are tubular cells.
● Both help in the conduction of water from the roots towards
the leaves of the cell.
● Both help in providing mechanical support to the plant stem.
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SIEVE TUBES
● Young sieve tube members contains:
o Nucleus
o Plastids
o Mitochondria
o Golgi Stacks
● As the young sieve tube matures.
o Nucleus disintegrates
o Plastids shrinks
o Mitochondria shrinks
o Cytoplasm becomes a thin peripheral layer.
o Central part of the cell becomes occupied by a
Figure 4.2. Diagram of a tracheid and a vessel member.
dense material called the P-protein.
o One or more companion cells are connected to it by
PHLOEM the plasmodesmata.
● Lack nucleus, ribosomes, distinct vacuole, cytoskeletal
● A complex tissue composed of three cell types. elements.
o Which are: o Because of the absence of these organelles, it
▪ Sieve elements enables the nutrients to pass more easily through
▪ Parenchyma the cell.
▪ Sclerenchyma ● Sieve plates
● Vascular tissue that transports photosynthates (products of o Found between the junction of sieve tube elements,
photosynthesis) from leaves to the basal parts of the plants. along with the plasmodesmata.
● Vascular tissue that transports sugar. o Have pores which facilitate the flow of fluid from cell
● Sclerenchyma cells serve as mechanical and support for to cell along the sieve tube.
the phloem. o Large thin section of pores.
o These are fibers and sclereids o Serves as a barrier to stop the loss of cell sap
whenever the phloem is cut or harmed.

Figure no. Diagram of a sieve plate with its pores.

COMPANION CELLS
● Found along the side of sieve tube cells
● Supports and regulate the metabolic processes of the sieve
components
● Also play an important role in the loading and unloading of
materials in the phloem.
Figure 5.1 Diagram of a phloem.

PRIMARY PHLOEM
● Occurs in vascular bundles of young stems and leaves, and
in the vascular cylinder of the roots.
● Formed in the primary growth by the procambium.
● Present in both monocots and dicots.
● Long and thin.
● Less xylem fibers.

SECONDARY PHLOEM
● Outside the secondary xylem in older stems and roots.
● Usually found in plants that live for more than one year.
● Formed in secondary growth by the vascular cambium.
● Present only in dicots.
● Short and wide.
● High number of xylem fibers. Figure 5.2. Diagram of a sieve tube with a companion cell attached to it.

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 BOTAFUN: Plant Body
PLANT OUTER COVERING: EPIDERMIS o Unicellular
● Plants are protected by an outer covering called the ▪ Unbranched
epidermis. ▪ Branched
● A complex tissue composed of: o Multicellular
o Epidermal cells ▪ Single Row
o Guard cells ▪ Several Rows
o Trichomes ▪ Branched in dendroid manner (tree like)
● Usually made out of one layer of cells, but can be as many ▪ Branched in stellate (single plane)
as 5 or 6 layers in some leaves of succulents or in the aerial
o Glandular (secretes the ff: )
roots of some orchids.
● Protects the inner tissues of the plant from losing too much ▪ Water
moisture and getting dried. ▪ Nectar
● Regulates the movement of water and gasses out of and ▪ Resins
into the plant, especially in the leaf epidermis. ▪ Mucilage
▪ Terpenoids
o Non-glandular
● In roots, root hairs are extensions of single epidermal cells
which increase the surface area of the root.
● In some leaves, there may be elaborate multicellular
trichome formations.
● Trichomes vary from plant to plant.
● Provides a dense covering to control the rate of transpiration
on the plant
● Help in protecting the plant from the heating effect of
sunlight.
● Protects the plant body from other injuries.

Figure 6.1 Diagram of a plant epidermis.

GUARD CELLS
● Specialized epidermal cells.
● Found in:
o Young stems
o leaves
o flower parts
o some roots
● Between each pair of guard cells is a small opening
wherein gasses enter and exit the tissues underneath.
● Two guard cells and a pore are what composes a stoma
(plural = stomata).
● Different from other epidermal cells by their shape.
● Guard cells are crescent shaped and have chloroplasts.
● Guard cells are supported by subsidiary cells.
o Subsidiary cells help in opening and closing of the
stomata. Facilitates the movement of the guard
cells. Figure 6.3. Types of trichomes based on their shapes.

MERISTEMS
● Plant’s growing points
● Site where vegetative development in the plant occurs.
● Regions wherein cell division occurs throughout the plant’s
life.
● Where the cells are dividing and differentiating.

PRIMARY/APICAL MERISTEMS
● Primary/Apical
o Ultimate source of all cells in the plant.
Figure 6.2. Diagram of a stoma highlighting the guard cells. ▪ Shoot apex - Tips of the plants.
▪ Root apex - Roots of the plants.
TRICHOMES
● Form the primary tissues to elongate the root and the shoot.
● Epidermal outgrowths. ● Small cells with dense protoplasts.
● Can be unicellular or multicellular.

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 BOTAFUN: Plant Body
● Cells here are capable of dividing, referred to as o Collenchyma
meristematic cells. o Sclerenchyma
● Cells found basal to the SAM (shoot apical meristem) or TABLE no. 1: VASCULAR PLANT TISSUES AND CELL
RAM (root apical meristem) ordered into distinct types of TYPES
cells, they are still meristematic (can still divide). Tissues Cell Types
● Embryonic state of the tissues. Simple Tissues
● There are three primary meristem:
Parenchyma Parenchymal cells
o Protoderm - Epidermis
Collenchyma Collenchymal cells
o Procambium - Cells of the primary xylem and
Fibers
primary phloem. Sclerenchyma
Sclereids
o Ground meristem - Pith and cortex of stems,
Complex Tissues
roots, and mesophyll of the leaves.
Vessel Members
SECONDARY/LATERAL MERISTEMS Tracheids
● Produce secondary tissues. Xylem
Fibers
● Allow vascular plants to grow in vast sizes and great Parenchymal Cells
ages. Sieve Tube Members
● Lateral meristems add thickness to the plant’s stem. Sieve Cells
● Polar, has a shoot end (tip of branch - shoot apical Companion Cells
meristem), and a root end (roots - root apical meristem) Phloem Albuminous Cells
● Classified into the: Fibers
o Vascular Cambium - Secondary xylem and Sclereids
secondary phloem Parenchymal Cells
o Cork Cambium - Periderm Guard Cell
Epidermis Epidermal Cells
Trichomes
Phellem (Cork) Cells
Periderm
Phelloderm Cells
Trichomes
Secondary Structures
Laticifers (Latex and Rubber)

Figure 7. Longitudinal section of the primary and secondary meristems.

ORGANIZATION IN PLANTS
● System
o Shoot
o Roots
● Organs
o Root
o Stem
o Leaves
o Reproductive
● Tissues
o Dermal
o Ground
o Vascular
● Cell Types
o Parenchyma

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